The invention disclosed herein relates generally to accelerometers and more particularly to a damping arrangement for cantilever beam type accelerometers used for relatively low acceleration levels at relatively low frequencies. Applicant's invention has been found to be particularly applicable to acceleration levels below 2 g's and frequencies below 50 Hz, where 1 "g" is equal to the acceleration of the earth's gravity at its surface.
In the past accelerometers have used a fluid such as oil to achieve damping by locating the accelerometer within a cavity and filling the cavity with oil. The oil then slows or damps the movement of the inertial element of the accelerometer and provides the desired damping effect. The manufacturing processes associated with providing and maintaining oil filled cavity devices and the effects of ambient temperature variation on the oil and upon the accelerometer performance make oil filled cavities undesirable for many accelerometer applications.
Thus a need exists for an accelerometer damping arrangement that does not require the use of an oil filled cavity and provides substantially uniform performance under varying ambient temperatures.